Tell Her
by Brianna Summers
Summary: Not a happy story - don't like it, don't read it! Ash is facing imminent death... and who's on his mind but the one person he loves. And he never got to tell her he loved her. Songfic - "Tell Her" by Jesse McCartney Pokeshipping.


**(A/N) Sorry guys, this one's not happy. But I was listening to a song, got the idea in my head, and got this done in an hour. I hope it makes sense, especially when it goes over what happened to get him in this situation.**

**Can't reveal too much, can I?**

**Anyway, it's also a songfic: _"Tell Her"_ by Jesse McCartney. Try listening to the sing while you read. I had to way shorten it, because I couldn't get it to be that long, so sorry.**

**So, enjoy I guess. Try not to cry.**

* * *

Time seemed to move so slowly.

Achingly slowly.

So slowly, slowly, that it tore him to pieces.

Of course, that wasn't the only thing tearing him apart.

Here he was, facing the end of his life -

of course, this wasn't the first time it had happened, but now he was very aware, so very aware, that it could really be the real end -

and she wasn't there for him to say goodbye.

He'd tried, earlier. Moments before he'd put his life in danger. He'd called her, but she wasn't there.

He'd told Brock to tell her.

Tell her.

...

_I know how it feels _

_To wake up without her _

_Lying here all alone _

_Just thinking about her _

_...  
_

That morning, sure, it had been normal.

_Perfectly normal._

Normal doesn't always mean fine, but it was normal nonetheless.

He'd woken from a brilliant dream.

_Like normal._

A dream of a world where the two of them were happy, always together, always with one another.

And then he'd woken.

And realized it wasn't true, might not ever be.

And he'd cried.

_Like normal._

Nobody'd ever known how he cried for her every morning, and every night before he'd fallen asleep, just knowing -

knowing perfectly well -

that he'd have that wonderful dream

and then cry in the morning.

_Like normal._

And then they – those damned thieves – went after his best friend again.

_Like freaking normal._

And now, facing imminent death as he hung off the edge of a cliff so sheer it was impossible to climb back to the top,

he thought of her.

He'd never get to tell her.

Tell her.

...

_I can't believe her hold on me _

_It's something indescribable _

_I know she knows _

_But won't you please _

_...  
_

All that morning Ash had had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He usually did, especially after waking up from his ever-present dream, but today it had stuck. And it was different. Strange even.

And then it had happened. He should've expected it, but for some reason he hadn't, and once more Pikachu was stolen. But the way they did it scared him; it scared him so badly he snatched the piece of paper they'd left and raced to the nearest video phone to call home.

He tried his mother's phone first. No answer; he'd left a message. _"It's Ash; I just want you to know that I love you, okay? And don't worry. I'm sure everything'll be fine. I love you, Mom."_

Then he had another thought. He had to tell _her_.

...

_If you see my girl _

_Just tell her I miss her smile _

_Tell her I'm counting the minutes _

_Gonna see her in a little while _

_...  
_

After a second of thinking, he dialed a second number. He hadn't expected Brock to answer; after all, he'd called the Cerulean City gym; but it was someone to talk to. "Ash? What's wrong?"

"Where's Misty?"

"She's training. I'm just hanging out for a little bit. Do you need to talk to her? I can call her inside."

"I-I-yes, but I don't have time. Brock, they took Pikachu."

"And you're calling Misty to tell her this?"

"I'm really scared, Brock. I have to go, but... if I don't come back..."

"What do you mean 'don't come back'?"

Ash held up the piece of paper in response.

...

_Because I know when she holds onto me _

_She's the one thing that I could never live without _

_And tell her I love her_

_Just tell her I love her _

_...  
_

"If I don't come back," he repeated, "I need you to... to tell Misty to take care of Pikachu for me."

"That's it?"

"One more thing." he sighed, trying not to cry. "Tell her I love her."

"I'll tell her. But when you do come back..."

"_If_ I _do_ come back," he continued shakily, "_I'll_ tell her."

...

_The way that she moves _

_You know what it does to me _

_And when I catch her eye _

_I can hardly breathe _

_...  
_

Now he'd never get to tell her anything.

He'd never get to tell her how beautiful she looked as she glided through the cerulean water of the gym pool.

He'd never get to tell her how his entire body felt like somersaulting every time he looked into her emerald eyes.

He'd never get to tell her that whenever he saw her she took his breath away.

He'd never get to tell her he loved her.

...

_Still can't believe her hold on me _

_She's just so indescribable _

_I know she knows _

_But won't you please_

_...  
_

He tried to do what she always did, whenever things took a turn for the worst, as this certainly had.

_Try to see what's good about it._

What was good about this?

_Think of three reasons, Ash. Just try._

Pikachu was safe.

That one he was sure about. He'd rescued Pikachu, but the scrawl on the note had turned out accurate.

And Misty would take care of him.

_Misty..._

She was going to be so upset.

He didn't want to think about how miserable she'd be when they found his body.

_Good things, Ash. Just two more._

Team Rocket was gone for good.

He was pretty sure about that one, too. The electrical bomb had destroyed the entire headquarters, blasting it to bits. There was no way anyone had survived. Pikachu had barely managed to escape with his life, though he was safe now. May had promised, swore on her life -

_How ironic. Swore on her life._ -

to get him to safety.

He could do nothing but trust his friend.

_One more reason, Ash. One._

May was okay.

He'd run into her, held captive for reasons he'd never know now, at the headquarters.

Thank Arceus he had, or she'd be dead now, too.

He'd given her Pikachu and told her to run. Protect him.

He'd watched until she was out of sight to make sure they'd be okay.

Then he'd set off the bomb, the one thing – the only thing – that would bring Team Rocket to justice and save Pikachu.

_Too many had to die..._

But too many were now saved.

And he still would never get to tell her.

...

_If you see my girl _

_Just tell her I miss her smile _

_Tell her I'm counting the minutes _

_Gonna see her in a little while _

_...  
_

Now he was suspended at the edge of what had once been the headquarters.

Facing certain death.

Thinking of a fire-haired, emerald-eyed girl he'd never get to hold.

A life he'd never get to have.

A friend he'd never get to see again.

His heart ached.

His arm, the only thing holding him onto life, burned with a fury that had his whole body screaming in agony.

But it was nothing compared to the pain in his heart.

_It'll be over soon..._

He'd never get to tell her.

...

_Because I know when she holds onto me _

_She's the one thing that I could never live without _

_And tell her I love her_

_...  
_

His hand slipped.

...

_Just tell her I love her _

* * *

**(A/N) I warned you. Told you it wasn't happy. But I'm thinking of doing a sequel, so if you liked it and want a sequel of some sort, REVIEW AND TELL ME! Please!**


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